Soft contact lenses are the most popular type of contact lens prescribed in the United States. Toric contacts are a type of lens that corrects for astigmatism, a common vision problem. Any type of contact lens may become dried out or feel stuck on the eye. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that a person should never try to pull or peel the lens off the cornea, the front surface of the eye because it could cause damage and make the eye more susceptible to infection. Use specific methods to remove suction from a toric lens.
Step 1
Wash hands thoroughly before handling contact lenses. It is important to have clean, germ-free hands before putting contact lenses in, taking lenses out or when trying to loosen suction.
Step 2
Place a few drops of sterile saline solution or the recommended brand of rewetting drops on the stuck lens and close the eye. According to the University of Michigan's Kellogg Eye center, a person should only use the type of specific solution recommended by the eye care practitioner for the type of toric lenses being worn.
Step 3
Roll the eye gently, with the eye closed, by "looking" toward the nose, downward, the ear and then up. Repeat with more drops and continue eye movement several times.
Step 4
Put more drops in the eye and on the lens and massage the closed eye gently, rubbing the eyelid in small circles, if the lens does not release suction.
Step 5
Call an eye care professional if the lens does not release suction. Ophthalmologists, optometrists and contact lens opticians have special tools to remove contact lenses that become stuck on the eye. If an eye care practitioner is not available, go to the emergency room to have a stuck lens removed.
Step 6
Do not use saliva to loosen the suction of a toric lens. The Ohio State University Medical Center states that contacts should never be rinsed in water or in the mouth, and saliva should never be used on the contacts.
Things You'll Need
- Saline solution
- Rewetting drops
